Electric switch



Aug. 11, 1925.

C. F. BURGESON ELECTRIC SWITCH i w 1 i n t W M nr. a s .lv H z a 4 m w w m d e l m Patented Aug. 11, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. BURGESON, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELEC TRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Application filed November 13, 1924. Serial No. 749,298;

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. BURGESON, acitizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, county of Hennepin, and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in electric'switches, and more particularly to improvements in fused disconnecting switches, and has for an object to provide an improved electric switch in which maximum interrupting capacity is obtained at minimum cost. Another object of my invention is to provide an improved multipolar fused disconnecting switch such that upon the disruption of the fuse in any pole,- the circuit through every pole will'be interruDted.

My invention will be better understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing,

. and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Figs. 1 and 2 are respectively front and side elevations of a three-pole electric switch embodying my invention. the switch being shown in the circuit closed position: Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the switch shown in Figs. 1 and 2 with the switch shown in the circuit-open position after the disruption of the fuses. and

Fig. 4 is a side elevation showing the switch.

reset and ready for closing.

The illustrated embodiment of my invention comprises a plurality of pairs of movable circuit controllingrmemhers 10 and 11' mounted for movement about a common axis. and a plurality of cooperating circuit controlling members 12 arranged to be engaged respectively by the members 11. The

members 11 are carried by insulators 13' which are rigidly secured to a shaft 14. This shaft is iournaled in brackets 15 mounted on a suitable switch supporting structure which may comprise structural members such as channels 16 and angles 17. For movement independently of the members 11 so as to effect the opening of the switch. the members 10 are carried by insulators 18, which are pivotally mounted on arms or cranks 19 rig idly secured to the shaft 14. For preventing relative movement of the members 10 and 11 normally, suitable current conducting and connecting means comprising a fuse 20 in each pole of the switch is provided. The switch terminals 21 and 22 are mounted on insulators 23 and 24 respectively, the terminal 21 being connected to the member 10 through a flexible conductor 25 and the circuit cont-rolling member 12 being mounted on the fixed insulator 24. Both the stationary member 12 and the movable member 11 may be provided with extended portions forming arcing horns.

For holding the rotatably mounted circuit controlling members 11 in circuit closed position with the cooperating circuit controlling members 12 when every fuse 20 is intact, I provide means arranged upon the disruption of any fuse to be actuated during the relative movement of the member 10 thereby released so as to release all of the movable members for movement to circuit open position. This means comprises a latching mechanism arranged to be operated to lock the. switch operating mechanism, which comprises an operating lever 26, a link 27 and a crank 28 loosely mounted on the shaft 14, to a crank 29 rigidly mounted thereon.

The latching mechanism comprises a lever 30 pivotally mounted on the crank 28 and biasedv for clockwise movement by a spring 31. Rollers 32 and 33 mounted on the ends of the lever 30 are respectively arranged to engage the crank 29 so as to latch the cranks 28 and 29 for simultaneous movement, and to be engaged for counter-clockwise movement by an areuate crank 34 rigidly mount- .shaft 35. Each of these cranks 36 is arranged to be turned counter-clockwise by any suitable means associated with the movable members 10, such as a link 37 and a roller 38 carried on a lever 39 pivoted to the crank 19 and to the link 37.

Referring now to Fig. 1, and more particularly to Fig. 2, which shows the switch in circuit closed position, the angle between the lines from the point of contact between \the 'roller 32 and the crank 29 to the axis of the shaft 14 and to the pivot of the lever 30 is substantially a right angle. Consequently, the cranks 28 and 29 are locked against relative movement. The crank 28 is held in the position shown bythe link 27 and operating lever 26, which form an overset toggle held by a stop 40.

If now current above a predetermined value, that is to say, in excess of the rating of the fuses 20, flows through one or more poles of the switch, one or more of the fuses 20 will be disrupted and therefore one or more of the members 10 released for movement relatively to the respective rotatably mounted members 11. This relative clockwise movement of any one of the members lO'about its pivotal support on the crank 19 due to the bias of gravity effects a counter-clockwise movement of the auxiliary shaft 35 through the link 37, the roller 38, the lever 39 and the crank 36. The crank 34 is therefore moved counter-clockwise, and through the roller 33 turns the lever 30 counter-clockwise to unlatch the crank 29 from the crank 28. Under the bias due to gravity, the members 10 and 11 move simultaneously to the circuit open position, as shown in Fig. 3, and in each pole in which a fuse is blown there are two breaks in series so that any arcs formed are quickly interrupted. Since the Weight of the moving parts ,may be relatively heavy, it is desirable, especially with large insulators, for relatively high potentials, to counter-weight the moving parts. This can conveniently be done by an adjustably positioned weight 41 mounted on a crank which is rigidly secured to the shaft 14. In order to avoid confusing lines among the latching mechanism, the weight 41 is omitted in Fig. 2. In order to arrest the movement of the parts in the clockwise or circuit opening direction so as to minimize the shock, there are provided suitable shock absorbing means such as spring clips 42 arranged to be engaged by a wedge.

shaped portion 43 on the cranks 19.

In Fig. 3, as drawn, it is assumed that every fuse has blown, but since the disruption of any fuse will effect the tripping of the latching mechanism, and since the movable circuit controlling members 10 and 11 in any ole are mounted for movement about a common axis, these members in the poles in which the fuses do not blow can move to circuit opening position without mechanically destroying or distorting the intact fuses. Consequently, it is unnecessary to replace any fuse or fuses other than those blown.

To reclose the switch, the disrupted fuses are first replaced by new fuses. This is done by moving the members 10 counterclockwise and. relatively tcthe members 1.1

until spaced closely enough to insert the fuses under the attaching means, such as thumbscr'ews 44. The switch is now ready to be latched. To do this, the operating lever 26 is turned counter-clockwise until the roller 32 on the lever 30 engages the crank 29, as shown in Fig. 4. The cranks 28 and 29 are now locked against relative move ment and the switch can be returned to the circuit closing. position shown in Fig. 2, by turning the operating lever 26 clockwise until it bears against the stop 40. To open the switch when the fuses 20 are intact, the operating lever 26 is turned counter-clockwise from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 4.

lVhile I have shown and described only one embodiment of my invention, I do not desire to be limited to the exact arrangement shown and described, but seek to cover in the appended claims all those modifications that fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to se-' cure by Letters Patent of the United States 1s:-

1. An electric switch comprising a circuit controlling member, a rotatably mounted circuit controlling member arranged to cooperate therewith to make and break a circuit. a movable circuit controlling member arranged to turn with said rotatably mounted member about the axis of rotation thereof and pivoted for movement independently of said rotatably mounted member, a current conducting connection between said rotatably mounted member and said movable member, and means for holding the rotatably mounted member in circuit closed position when said connection is intact arranged to be actuated by the movable member upon the disruption of said connection whereby to release the rotatably mounted member for movement to circuit open position.

2. An electric switch comprising a circuit controlling member, a rotatably mounted circuit controlling member arranged to cooperate therewith to make and break a circuit, an arm arranged to turn with said rotatably mounted member about the axis of rotation thereof, a circuit controlling member mounted on said arm for movement relatively to said rotatably' mounted member, means comprising a fuse for connectin the member mounted on said arm to said rotatably mounted member to prevent relative movement of said members, and means for holding said rotatably mounted member in circuit closed position when said fuse is intact arranged to be actuated by the movement of the member mounted on said arm upon the disruption-of said fuse whereby for movement to circuit open position.

3. An electric switch comprising a circuit controlling member, a rotatably mounted circuit controlling member arranged to cooperate therewith to make and break a cir- 6 cuit, an arm arranged to turn with said rotatably mounted member about the axis of rotation thereof, a circuit controlling member pivoted on said arm for a limited move ment relative to said rotatably mounted 10 member, means comprising a fuse for connecting the member mounted on said arm to said rotatably mounted member to prevent relative movement of the members, and means for holding said rotatably mounted member in circuit closed position when said fuse is intact arranged upon the disruption of the fuse to be actuated by the member mounted on said arm during the limited movement of the member relative to said rotatably mounted member whereby to release the rotatably mounted member for movement to circuit open position.

4:- An electric switch comprising a circuit controlling member, a rotatably mounted circuit controlling member arranged to cooperate therewith to make and break a circuit, a movable circuit controlling member arranged to turn with said rotatably mounted member about the axis of rotation thereof and pivoted for movement independently of the rotatably mounted member, means comprising a fuse for connecting said movable member and said rotatably mounted member to prevent relative movement thereof, means for holding the rotatably mounted member in circuit. closed position when said fuse is intact arranged upon the disruption of said fuse to be actuated by said movable member during the movement thereof rela- 4 tive to said rotatably mounted member whereby to release the rotatably mounted member for movement to circuit open position, and shock absorbing means for arresting the movement of said rotatably mounted 4 and movable members.

5. An electric switch comprising a stationary circuit I controlling member, two movable circuit controlling members mounted for movement about a common axis, one

of said movable members being pivoted for movement independently of the other, a current conducting connection between the movable members, and means for holding the other movable member in circuit closed posi-' tion with the stationary member when said connection is intact, arranged to be actuated by the one movable member upon the disruption of said connection whereby to re lease the other movable member for movement to circuit open position.

6. An electric switch comprising a plu rality of pairs ofmovable circuit controlling members each mounted for movement about a common axis, one member of each pair being pivoted for movement independently of the other, means comprising a fuse for connecting each pair of movable members normally to prevent relative movement thereof, a plurality of cooperating circuit controlling members arranged to be engaged respectively by said other movable members, and means forholding said other movable members in circuit closed position with said cooperating members when every fuse is intact arranged upon the disruption of any fuse to be actuated by the movable member thereby released, whereby to release all of said other movable members for movement to circuit open position.

7. A multipolar electric switch comprising a plurality of circuit controlling members, a plurality -of rotatably mounted circuit controlling members respectively arranged to cooperate therewith to make and break a circuit, a movable circuit controlling member associated with one of said rotatably mounted members and arranged to turn about the axis of rotation thereof, said movable member being pivoted for movement independently of its associated rotatably mounted member, a current conducting connection between the m vable member and its asociated rotatably mounted member, and means for holding the rotatably mounted members in circuit closing position when said connection is intact,arranged to be actuated by the movable member upon the disruption of said connection, whereby to release the rotatably mounted members for movement to circuit open position.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this tenth day of November, 1924.

CHAS. F, BURGESON. 

